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Originally Posted by Michelle  My diet consists of many whole organic foods which are supposed to be energy givers (for long hours standing on stage) like brown rice, polenta, whole wheat pasta. I am a big fan of beans and lentils. I eat dairy but do not drink milk. |
Michelle,
Even though you eat beans and lentils... are you eating enough
total protein? People need around 45gm of protein per day. While the average US diet consists of *way more* than 45gm, if you aren't paying attention to you protein intake, you might be coming in low.
Do you ever get the feeling that your diet is too carb-heavy? (I'm not talking anti-Atkins here; I'm talking a diet that consists of 60% to 80% high glycemic index carbs.) A diet that's high in processed carbohydrate can lead to reactive hypoglycemia (that's where you get a "sugar high" ... then your blood glucose crashes when your pancreas dumps insulin, and you end up feeling weak and shakey). Carb-heavy diets can also deplete vitamin and mineral stores, especially b-vitamins, which of course are essential for metabolism.
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Originally Posted by Michelle Where I admit to lacking is in the veggie/fruit area. I do eat these foods as well, but perhaps not in the needed quantities? |
AND, let's address your iron. If you eliminate meat from your diet, you eliminate your sources of heme iron, which is easily absorbed and assimilated. Plant sources have only non-heme iron--which is
much better absorbed in presence of vitamin C. If your diet is obviously lacking in fruits and veggies, then you probably aren't getting vitamin C in sufficient quantities to make up for the lack of easily absorbed iron.
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Originally Posted by Michelle I was out to dinner tonight with my boyfriend and ordered some vegetable kebabs and pumpkin soup. Honestly, when my meal arrived, I couldn't stop thinking "Where is my food, where is my food?", and I can't admit to feeling satisfied. |
Where's your protein! Protein helps you "feel full". Soups and veggies just won't stick around very long after you eat them; they don't have high protein content. Proteins take longer to metabolize, so they leave you feeling like you've eaten something that will hang around until your next meal.
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Originally Posted by Michelle Do you think an inability to maintain vegetarianism is a direct reflection of a low state of consciousness? |
Awe... no. ::hugs:: Don't feel that way. Guilt won't change anything.
People go veg for a variey of reasons, including health, moral standards, religion, social/political reasons. All of these (except maybe health) are human constructs; they are only as "good" or "bad" as you interpret them to be. And obviously, if your health is suffering because of your diet, then something needs to change.
Have you tried eating 5 or 6 very small meals a day? That's not always practical; it depends on how badly you want to go veg.